The Ultimate Isle Royale National Park Quiz

Isle Royale National Park is a pristine and unspoiled haven miles out of reach by automobiles. It is unique for wildlife that can be found only in a very few places in the United States. It's difficult to reach, but once you're there you can hike, kayak, canoe, boat, scuba dive, fish, or backpack -- among other activities. Take this quiz to learn more about Isle Royale National Park.

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Question 1 of 20

In what state is Isle Royale National Park located?

Minnesota

Michigan

Although Isle Royale National Park is closer to Minnesota, it is actually a part of the state of Michigan.

Wisconsin

Question 2 of 20

How many miles away from the shores of Minnesota is Isle Royale National Park located?

56 miles

33 miles

20 miles

Isle Royale National Park is 56 miles (90 kilometers) from mainland Michigan and only 20 miles from the shores of Minnesota.

Question 3 of 20

How do you reach Isle Royale National Park?

seaplane

ferryboat

both of the above

Seaplane flights are available from Houghton, Michigan, but most visitors reach Isle Royale on boats operated by the Park Service. The ride takes three hours from either Grand Portage, Minnesota, or Copper Harbor, Michigan or six hours from Houghton, Michigan.

Question 4 of 20

How long is Isle Royale?

45 miles

Isle Royale is 45 miles in length and nine miles wide. The Isle Royale National Park consists of Isle Royale and 200 smaller islands that surround it.

30 miles

26 miles

Question 5 of 20

What is the name of the Great Lake in which Isle Royale National Park is located?

Lake Michigan

Lake Superior

Isle Royale National Park is located in Lake Superior, which is the largest of the Great Lakes.

Lake Erie

Question 6 of 20

How many miles of roads cross the park on Isle Royale?

only eight miles

only three miles

zero miles

There are no roads on Isle Royale. The island's isolation has helped to maintain a pristine and looking much as it did more than two centuries ago.

Question 7 of 20

When is it believed that European settlers first stepped upon the shores of Isle Royale?

more than 200 years ago

Historian believe that the first European settlers first stepped foot on Isle Royal more than 200 years ago. The first humans likely visited the island about 4,500 years ago.

more than 300 years ago

more than 400 years ago

Question 8 of 20

What is unique about wildlife found within the boundaries of Isle Royale National Park?

The Park is one of only three places in the United States where you can still find polar bears in the wild.

The Park is one of only three places in the United States where there are still herds of wild elk.

The Park is one of only three places in the United States where wolves still roam free.

Isle Royale shelters paper birches, balsam fir, wild orchids, violets, mallards, mergansers, loons, herons, wolves, moose, deer, and bobcats. The park is one of only three places in the United States where wolves still roam free.

Question 9 of 20

What is the name of the other two places in the United States where you can also find wolves running freely in the wild?

Arizona and New Mexico

Alaska and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The other places where wolves roam freely are Alaska and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Moose, the wolf's main prey, also inhabit the island.

Texas and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Question 10 of 20

How many acres comprise the Isle Royale National Park?

571790

The total area of Isle Royale National park including all of Isle Royale’s surrounding islands is 571,790 acres (191,235 hectares). As you hike the woodland trails in this natural haven, you frequently see moose grazing in the meadows.

632550

787210

Question 11 of 20

What time of the year is the best time to visit the park, according to most people?

spring

summer

fall

Almost everyone agrees that autumn is the best time to visit. In autumn the sugar maples and yellow birch are in full color, wild berries are thick underfoot, and the moose appear from the ridges to the valleys.

Question 12 of 20

How many miles of hiking trails are there in the park?

160

There are more than 160 (258 kilometers) miles of hiking trails in the park. You can pick wild raspberries and blueberries as you hike along the trails in addition to enjoying some breathtaking scenic views.

150

135

Question 13 of 20

What kinds of wolves reside in the park?

eastern red wolf

northern grey wolves

The northern grey wolf is the local species. On moon-filled nights, you can often hear distant howls of the wolves calling to each other as they hunt or travel.

common timber wolf

Question 14 of 20

In what year did the wolves make their way to Isle Royale?

1938

1949

A few wolves crossed ice-covered Lake Superior to Isle Royale in 1949 during an unusually cold winter. For two decades, the wolves fed on old, young, or weak moose.

1953

Question 15 of 20

How did the moose population end up on Isle Royale?

The moose were chased across the ice by the wolf pack in 1949.

It is believed by most that the moose swam across to the island while hunting for food. Amazingly, such a large animal is also a very good swimmer and can swim at six miles per hour (9.7 kph) for more than 10 miles without stopping.

A few moose were brought to the island by humans.

The moose swam across to the island.

Question 16 of 20

What was the maximum number of wolves that lived on Isle Royale at any given time?

about 100

about 75

about 50

The wolf pack stopped growing with around 50 members, which was appropriate for the size of the moose herd on the island. The relationship is symbiotic, as the wolves prevent the moose from overpopulating the island.

Question 17 of 20

What is the name of the ridge that forms the backbone of Isle Royale?

Granite Ridge

Greenstone Ridge

Greenstone Ridge is the backbone of the island and geologists believe that it could be a piece of the largest lava flow on earth.

Limestone Ridge

Question 18 of 20

What is the name of a popular harbor located on the northeastern shore of Isle Royale?

Algonquin Harbor

Pirates Harbor

Rock Harbor

Rock Harbor is located on the northeastern shore, where hiking trails give visitors access to scenic overlooks and secluded coves.

Question 19 of 20

What is another popular drawing card for the Isle Royale National Park?

abandoned copper mines

There are more than 1,000 small abandoned copper mines dotting the island. Canadian and American Native peoples would canoe to this remote island to dig for copper to make jewelry, tools, and cookware.

ancient stone ruins

deep caves

Question 20 of 20

Around what date were some of the copper mines first dug?

900 BCE

1250 BCE

2500 BCE

Experts date the creation of some of the mines back to 2500 BCE. This was only about 500 years after the start of the Bronze Age in Mesopotamia.